


CAPTIVE

by unknown_name



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Canon Divergence, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-24
Updated: 2017-04-24
Packaged: 2018-10-23 12:19:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10719228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unknown_name/pseuds/unknown_name
Summary: Even as his fellow thieves had now been all freed from their cells, even as the world was waiting for his help, Joker couldn't bring himself to leave the Velvet Room just yet. There was one more person that was still waiting to be saved.





	CAPTIVE

As Lavenza kept speaking, all Kurusu Akira could think about was this past hour.  
  
Not because what she was saying wasn't important – it definitely was. But because so many things happened in such a short time that his brain still hadn't managed to process them all.  
  
Fighting the Holy Grail, only to be sent back to the real world and realize it had fused with Mementos... feeling the sky's crimson rain fall on his face, and witnessing the people around act like they couldn't see those grotesque _bones_ protruding from the ground... feeling the vice-like grip of fear and despair upon his heart as his teammates vanished into thin air one by one... being sent back to the Velvet Room, and barely escape from death as Justine and Caroline remembered their true identity... gape both in wonder and astonishment as they fused back into Lavenza... realizing Igor was really an impostor, who turned out to be the Holy Grail all along... meeting the real Igor, and rescuing his teammates from the depths of the Velvet Room one by one... and finally...  
  
_"One would be an instigator of the masses' distortion... his name was Akechi Goro. Were he to win, the world would be destroyed and created anew."_  
  
... hearing those words.  
  
He could hear them echo again and again in his head, and a sudden ache pierced his heart. It felt almost as though a wound deep within himself had been reopened – a wound he had Akechi to blame for.  
  
_You idiot... why did you do that..._  
  
Kurusu Akira squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his teeth in pain, but nobody noticed, too busy listening to the little girl. He didn't forget, of course, about that dreadful day of November. He didn't forget about the knot of muscle gripping his throat as he watched the partition wall rise. He didn't forget about the heartbreaking way Akechi's voice had faltered when he shared his final wish with them all. But what he remembered the most was that chilling sound, a sound that he knew he would take to the grave – the sound of two gunshots echoing through the room.  
  
The needle piercing his heart now felt like a knife. No, he never forgot about Akechi's last moments, but the frenzy that was this past month had managed to drown out the pain just a little, only for it to come back in full force, jostled by Lavenza's words. Akechi... _Akechi..._  
  
"Morgana, please guide them to the exit." he heard Lavenza's gentle voice say somewhere on his right.  
  
The cat nodded at her in respect and spun around, all the Phantom Thieves following behind. All of them, save for Joker.  
  
"Is something wrong, Trickster...?" the little girl wondered, and not even her soft eyes could lift any of the weight pressing down on his chest.  
  
Joker returned her gaze, and her curious expression turned to one of sadness. She knew what he was thinking about.  
  
"You feel like you cannot leave yet, don't you?... You feel like there is still something for you to do here." she supposed, and all Joker could manage was a nod, so feeble it seemed as though he had shown no reaction at all. He was no longer looking at her. It felt like an inhuman effort to keep his head high.  
  
Lavenza tilted her head to the side. When she spoke, her voice was slow and wistful. "I wonder, however... I wonder why you feel this way about him..."  
  
Suddenly, Joker looked up. The little girl continued. "He was the one chosen to oppose you... he was the one supposed to destroy you... and he almost did. He was your enemy."  
  
The black-haired boy took some time to ponder those words. Lavenza was right – Akechi had been his enemy. He had lied to him, he had betrayed him, he had sold him out, he had almost murdered him not once, but three times. It was difficult to be more antagonistic than that.  
  
But, Akechi had also smiled at him, he had become a regular of Leblanc because he enjoyed its atmosphere but also his presence, he had praised his coffee-brewing skills many times, he had shared with him tiny fragments of his past, and more importantly... he had given his life to save Kurusu Akira's own. The last action in Akechi's life wasn't one of an enemy. It was one of a...  
  
"You're wrong. He was my friend." Joker replied, his eyes almost defiant.  
  
Lavenza blinked, apparently surprised. "... As I thought, human beings truly are unpredictable. Unlike us residents of the Velvet Room, they are not bound by a sense of rationality that forces them to always act reasonable. Unlike us, they listen to their own hearts."  
  
Her round eyes peered at him for what felt like an eternity, until they eventually turned to crescents. In that moment, she looked like a radiant ray of light. "Human beings truly are irrational, yes... but they are also admirable. I think there is a lot we could learn from them."  
  
Her smile was so beaming Joker couldn't help but return it. But as he opened his mouth to finally ask the question that kept nagging at him, Lavenza glanced at Igor, who gave a brief nod. The little girl turned back toward Joker, and the words she uttered sent a rush of adrenaline through his veins.  
  
"... Follow me."  
  
Quietly, she exited the room, and Joker wasted no time in following her. The Phantom Thieves were there waiting for him, only to part their lips in surprise as the duo took a left and disappeared into the maze of the Velvet Room. A tiny tinge of guilt made its way into Joker's mind – he could have at least told them he would be right back – but it was quickly overshadowed by the growing anticipation slowly taking over him, consuming every last fiber of his being until at last, it reached his heart, which felt like it was about to implode.  
  
And finally, as Lavenza stopped and told him to go ahead, gesturing toward the prison cell... there he was.  
  
With a gait that was almost timid, Joker approached the cell. His heart was still pounding hard, but he forced himself to ignore it, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, he finally said this name aloud again.  
  
"... Hey, Akechi."  
  
The brown-haired boy didn't respond. He was sitting on the floor, his back pressed against the wall, his knees to his chest, and his head buried in his arms. Perhaps he was asleep.  
  
"Hey, Akechi." Joker repeated a bit louder.  
  
All he got for an answer was silence, but as he was about to call to him again, a voice stopped him dead in his tracks. The words felt like a whiplash.  
  
"... I hear you. You don't have to shout."   
  
Akechi hadn't even bothered looking up. He couldn't have made it more obvious that he didn't want to be disturbed. But Kurusu Akira would have none of it.  
  
"... It's good to see you, Akechi." Joker whispered, and with each word spoken, some weight lifted from his heavy heart.  
  
He could hear a groan coming from the brown-haired boy in response, and despite himself, Joker smiled an almost amused smile. But Akechi's next words immediately redirected his attention on him.  
  
"Where are we...? Why am I here?" he wondered, his posture muffling his voice so much that the black-haired boy almost didn't make out what he was saying.  
  
"Don't worry, this is somewhere safe. And as for why you're here, well..." Joker began to explain, but trailed off as he realized he had no idea how to answer his second question. He was glad to see him, but... yes, why was he here?  
  
"You don't know either, do you?" Akechi deduced upon noticing his hesitation, prompting the black-haired boy to fidget a bit uncomfortably, but then shake his head.  
  
"Maybe it's because of a miracle." Joker suggested with a shrug.  
  
"A miracle, huh..."  
  
Akechi didn't seem convinced.  
  
"What would you call it then?" Joker insisted, taking a step toward the prison bars. "You gave your life for us, and yet here you are. Alive and kicking."  
  
Joker couldn't help but clear his throat a little at his choice of words. There were many things Akechi currently was, but "kicking" was not one of them. Judging by the almost inaudible scoff coming from him, the brown-haired boy found his choice of words particularly stupid as well.  
  
"... It would have been better if I had died like I was supposed to. This way, I wouldn't have to see your face."  
  
Why did he always have to act like that, Kurusu Akira thought. Still, Akechi's words didn't get to him – if anything, they fueled an urge to sass back that was hard to resist.  
  
"What are you talking about. You didn't look up at me even once."  
  
"You know what I mean!" Akechi suddenly snapped as he straightened up, glaring daggers at him, only for his eyes to widen as he noticed the amused grin on Joker's face.  
  
"I sure do." the black-haired boy said, earning a frustrated groan. Seconds later, Akechi's head drooped in his arms again.  
  
A long silence filled the air around them. But just when Joker opened his mouth to speak up again, a barely audible voice interrupted him.  
  
"I don't understand why you are here. Why you are talking with me."  
  
It was obvious Akechi was trying very hard to sound firm, but even his efforts didn't manage to prevent his voice from faltering. "I betrayed you... I lied to you... I almost killed you, and I was eager to do so... so why are you treating me like this? Why are you treating me like a... a..."  
  
"Like a friend?" Joker finished absent-mindedly, and he didn't miss the way Akechi tensed up at the word. "The answer is easy. Because you're my friend."  
  
Sensing Akechi was about to reject his newfound position, he spoke up again, amusement plain in his voice. "And there's nothing you can do about it."  
  
For a split second, he swore he saw the brown-haired boy's shoulders shake. Whether it was because of a laugh, or because of a sob – he didn't know.  
  
"Why are you such an idiot..." Akechi eventually muttered, his body now still again. "It should be a crime to be this stupid..."  
  
"It's a shame there's no cure for stupidity, huh." Joker sassed back, wondering if he wasn't going too far, only to discard the thought as soon as it crossed his mind – there was something really entertaining and addictive about annoying Akechi.  
  
The brown-haired boy clicked his tongue in irritation, but kept quiet. Yet another long silence passed before he spoke up again. "I have always hated you, you know."  
  
"Really? Do you still hate me now?" Joker asked, tilting his head to the side.  
  
Akechi hesitated a split second too much before answering. "Of course I do."  
  
The black-haired boy blinked at him, and then couldn't help but smile a defiant sort of smile. "Liar."  
  
On this word, Joker walked away from the bars to lean against the wall beside them. He could sense Akechi looking up in confusion. "You know you don't hate me, Akechi. All those times you spent at Leblanc... those bright smiles you greeted me with when I came home... the way you looked so happy when you tasted my coffee... and the glint in your eyes when we fought together in the casino... did you think I wouldn't notice? I don't know about you, but that sure doesn't look like hate to me. It looks more like–"  
  
"Shut up! You don't know anything!" he heard Akechi snap, but he cared little.  
  
"... affection." Joker finished, now looking at the opposite wall without quite seeing it.  
  
A long silence followed his statement before the brown-haired boy broke it. "You're wrong... that's not it at all..."  
  
Akechi was clearly doing his best to sound as snappy as possible. Except he didn't sound snappy at all.  
  
"What is it then?" Joker asked, his smile showing in his voice. He knew he was about to win.  
  
"It's... it's..."   
  
Akechi's voice broke. He didn't speak anymore. But then, as the black-haired boy was about to insist once more, a sudden flash caught his attention. It was coming from the prison bars – or rather, from the way they had vanished into thin air.  
  
Slowly, Joker turned and walked toward Akechi, whose posture hadn't changed. It was unclear if he had even noticed he was now free to go.  
  
"Hey... get up. Let's leave this place."  
  
The brown-haired boy stirred almost imperceptibly, but he didn't comply. "... Why? I don't have anywhere to go anymore."  
  
"How about going back to us, for starters?" Joker suggested as he lazily began to twirl at a strand of his hair.  
  
For the second time, Akechi looked up at him. His face showed nothing else so much as confusion. "Going back... to you? Why would I do that?"  
  
Joker couldn't help but roll his eyes at how dense Akechi was.  
  
"Isn't it obvious? Because you are one of us." he explained patiently, almost like a father dealing with a particularly difficult child. "And also because..."  
  
Joker interrupted himself, carefully choosing his words. "... Because I think that of all of us, you are the one who needs to settle a score with him the most."  
  
It soon became clear that Akechi had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. "... Huh?"  
  
"I'll explain later." Joker said with a grin. He reached a hand toward him, and suddenly, Akechi looked terribly lost, like he had no idea what he was supposed to do. "Come on, let's go already. If you don't get up on your own, I'll make _you_ get up."  
  
The note of threat in his voice didn't escape Akechi, who gave him a defiant stare, as if to challenge him to even try. His eyes eventually softened, however, and after a moment that seemed to stretch on forever, he reluctantly closed his hand over Joker's and allowed him to lift him up. It was at that exact moment that Akechi's uniform dissolved into his dark suit, visor, helmet, cape, gauntlets and all.  
  
"Huh? Why did it change...?" he wondered as he stared at his clothes with very round eyes, which only widened a bit more as he felt himself being pulled into a warm embrace. "H-Hey, what are you doing...?"  
  
Kurusu Akira didn't answer. The reality of Akechi's survival finally caught up to his brain and at long last, reached his heart. He didn't feel like sassing or even talking anymore. All he wanted was to let Akechi know... he wanted him to know that no matter how much the world had rejected him, it still had a place somewhere reserved for him. He wanted him to know that no matter how many people rejected him, there was still someone who wouldn't, someone who cared about him, someone who couldn't bear the mere thought of losing him again...  
  
"Hey, Akechi..."  
  
He could sense the brown-haired boy's curious gaze on him, encouraging him to elaborate.  
  
"Don't do this ever again, alright? You know, the whole sacrifice thing."  
  
For a moment, Akechi stayed utterly silent. Then, his shoulders shook once.  
  
"... Alright."  
  
Time felt like it had slowed down. The black-haired boy remained there, his arms wrapped tightly around Akechi, who didn't hug back. But he didn't try and pull away either, and that was enough of a victory, Kurusu Akira figured. He couldn't help but wonder if Akechi was sensing what he was trying to convey with this embrace, if Akechi realized how dear he was to him. But even if he didn't, that hardly mattered – because Kurusu Akira would make him understand one day, whether Akechi liked it or not.  
  
It was with a mischievous smile that at last, he pulled away from him.  
  
"Let's move, Crow." he simply said, a note in his voice that was difficult to interpret.  
  
Crow looked at him for a few seconds, apparently caught off-guard by the sudden mention of his code name. Then, a warm smile showed on his face – possibly warmer than he had intended it to be. "I guess you won't take no for an answer, right?... Joker."  
  
He muttered something else Joker couldn't hear – although he did manage to make out the words "idiot" and "stupid" – but even behind his black mask, Crow's eyes were looking particularly bright. Brighter than they had ever been, in fact. Perhaps Crow had understood, after all... perhaps he had finally realized there was still a place where he belonged. A place where he could be his true self, and people would accept him anyway... a place that was like a beautiful land, where at last, his wounds would be soothed, then healed... a place where he would finally learn the true meaning of the world "life."  
  
It was with that hopeful thought, a ray of light shining in his head, that Joker guided Crow out of the maze that was the Velvet Room. As expected, his appearance was greeted by a few gasps of surprise and very round eyes, and Crow couldn't help but flinch at the sudden attention. He looked everywhere around him except at the rest of the Phantom Thieves, trying to make himself as small as possible, but it didn't work as much as he probably hoped. The thieves' gaze shifted toward Joker and all of them raised an eyebrow, clearly waiting for an explanation. Joker looked back and forth, from them to Crow, and then couldn't help but let out a nervous laugh. He had absolutely no idea what to tell them.  
  
But even that awkward reunion hardly mattered. All that did was the soothing warmth he had felt upon embracing Akechi, the warmth that came from his dearest friend. A cherishable warmth, that he would never want to lose again. A warmth he will protect forever and ever... until the very last day of his life.


End file.
